More regulations are coming as EU rules that Uber is not simply an app

Uber’s year of trials and tribulations is not over yet, and not getting any better. On Wednesday, December 20, the Court of Justice of the European Union determined that Uber is not simply an app or a tech platform, but rather a transport service. As a result, the company must comply with the transportation regulations of the EU’s member states, and cannot simply assert that its services fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of the more lax ecommerce guidelines.

According to the European Union’s top court, Uber’s “intermediation service … must be regarded as being inherently linked to a transport service and, accordingly, must be classified as ‘a service in the field of transport’ within the meaning of EU law.” The decision continued, “Consequently, such a service must be excluded from the scope of the freedom to provide services in general as well as the directive on services in the internal market and the directive on electronic commerce. It follows that, as EU law currently stands, it is for the Member States to regulate the conditions under which such services are to be provided.”

Now that the ruling has been handed down, national governments within the EU will now be able to regulate Uber as a taxi service, which other taxi drivers have long claimed is only fair. Indeed, the original lawsuit against Uber was brought about by a taxi drivers association in Barcelona, which alleged that Uber was using misleading business practices and unfair tactics to avoid licensing and regulations that other similar services were subjected to. But now, the year-long debate seems to be settled, and not in Uber’s favor.

In a response to the landmark ruling, which could shape the course of Uber abroad for years to come, the drivers association that first brought about the case tweeted, “Today, taxi drivers have beaten Goliath.”

While the EU’s decision focuses more on peer-to-peer operations, it will likely have implications for Uber’s ability to allow non-licensed drivers to offer rides, as well as the so-called gig economy more broadly. The ruling comes on the heels of a string of setbacks for Uber, including the decision in London to ban the app altogether. Although Uber currently operates in more than 600 cities around the world, it may soon find its hands tied when it comes to further expansion and continued services.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Uber could be out of London soon after losing its license there
• Uber vs. Lyft: This is the ultimate ridesharing app showdown
• Heetch wants to help Europeans get home from the late party safely
• How does Uber work? Here’s how the app lets you ride, drive, or both
• Go ahead, have another! The best ridesharing apps help get you home safely

More than a screenshot: Learn how to record the screen on an Android device

Do you want to snap a quick video or record your screen on an Android device? Whether you are taking a recording for friends or creating video for more professional purposes, we’ve got the fastest ways to do it.

Taking screenshots is easy, but we’re focusing on making a longer, more complicated recording of what’s going on your phone. If that’s exactly what you need, you should download the right Android app to help out. Here’s how to record the screen on an Android device using the right apps and how to get started once you have downloaded them.

AZ Screen Recorder

Step 1: The AZ recorder is a pure recording app with no time limits, watermarks, or ads. Downloaded it, and it will create a small tool icon in your app drawer, or wherever you choose to move it. Select it!

Step 2: With the tool launched, you should see an overlay on your phone screen with a couple of different icons. Look in the bottom left corner for the camera shutter icon. When you are ready to record, select that icon. The overlay will disappear and you will begin recording. Drag down the overlay again and either pause or stop recording when you are finished. Also note that the gear-shaped icon will take you to a menu where you can adjust many aspects of video quality before you start recording, which is useful if you need a certain quality or want to save video file space.

Step 3: There are also some minor editing tools and the ability to draw on the screen while recording, making this a great option for professionals. The overlay also includes a photo icon: Selecting this option will allow you to cut and edit the video, crop the screen as necessary, replace the audio with whatever you want, and convert sections to GIFs as needed. Visit this area to make your final tweaks before you are ready to share.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Google Play Games

Step 1: As the name indicates, this game management app is all about using and (a recent addition) recording the games you play on Android. That means your first step should be to register for Google Play Games (GPG) and explore the service to find the games you want and enjoy. If you do this before you start trying to record, your experience will be much more enjoyable. GPG only lets you record viable games, so when you are ready to begin, open the app, and visit the game that you want to record.

Step 2: When you select a game for the first time, you will visit the game details window. In this window you will see a camera recorder icon. Select this icon, select Next, and then choose your video quality. When everything looks good, select Launch to start gaming.

Step 3: After three seconds, your screen will start recording. At all times there will be a little floating video bubble you can click to choose Stop Recording. When the video is stopped or dismissed, it will automatically save to your phone. If you want to upload a video to YouTube, there is also an instant share option labelled Edit & Upload to YouTube. Note that editing abilities are limited, and that this app will record everything that appears on the device screen, so this step may take some time.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Mobizen Screen Recorder

Step 1: Mobizen offers HD recording that’s very similar to the AZ app. Download the app and launch it from the app menu. This will place a tiny “air circle” icon on your phone screen. Once you have found it, select it, and it will branch out into a few additional icons. Choose the record (the camera icon only takes screenshots) icon to start recording. This will create a three-second countdown and then recording will begin.

Step 2: The air circle will remain on your screen (but will not be recorded as part of the video). Select it again and hit the pause icon to pause the video whenever you need to. The upper button features a red stop button when recording, and you can select this at any time to stop the video.

Step 3: Stopping the video will bring a pop-up that allows you to view the video. If you want to edit your creation, choose this (viewing your video will always be an option from the app as long as you have it saved). While viewing, you will see a pen-and-paper editing icon right below the video player. Select this to start editing your video. You can cut and split, add BGM, add intros and outros, and more to get the video looking just how you want.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 100 best Android apps turn your phone into a jack-of-all-trades
• Snap and edit pictures like a pro with the best photo apps for Android
• Music junkie? Here are the 25 best music apps for consuming and creating tunes
• Learn how to play YouTube in the background on iOS and Android
• Get your gaming on the go with the 25 best Android games for November

More than a screenshot: Learn how to record the screen on an Android device

Do you want to snap a quick video or record your screen on an Android device? Whether you are taking a recording for friends or creating video for more professional purposes, we’ve got the fastest ways to do it.

Taking screenshots is easy, but we’re focusing on making a longer, more complicated recording of what’s going on your phone. If that’s exactly what you need, you should download the right Android app to help out. Here’s how to record the screen on an Android device using the right apps and how to get started once you have downloaded them.

AZ Screen Recorder

Step 1: The AZ recorder is a pure recording app with no time limits, watermarks, or ads. Downloaded it, and it will create a small tool icon in your app drawer, or wherever you choose to move it. Select it!

Step 2: With the tool launched, you should see an overlay on your phone screen with a couple of different icons. Look in the bottom left corner for the camera shutter icon. When you are ready to record, select that icon. The overlay will disappear and you will begin recording. Drag down the overlay again and either pause or stop recording when you are finished. Also note that the gear-shaped icon will take you to a menu where you can adjust many aspects of video quality before you start recording, which is useful if you need a certain quality or want to save video file space.

Step 3: There are also some minor editing tools and the ability to draw on the screen while recording, making this a great option for professionals. The overlay also includes a photo icon: Selecting this option will allow you to cut and edit the video, crop the screen as necessary, replace the audio with whatever you want, and convert sections to GIFs as needed. Visit this area to make your final tweaks before you are ready to share.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Google Play Games

Step 1: As the name indicates, this game management app is all about using and (a recent addition) recording the games you play on Android. That means your first step should be to register for Google Play Games (GPG) and explore the service to find the games you want and enjoy. If you do this before you start trying to record, your experience will be much more enjoyable. GPG only lets you record viable games, so when you are ready to begin, open the app, and visit the game that you want to record.

Step 2: When you select a game for the first time, you will visit the game details window. In this window you will see a camera recorder icon. Select this icon, select Next, and then choose your video quality. When everything looks good, select Launch to start gaming.

Step 3: After three seconds, your screen will start recording. At all times there will be a little floating video bubble you can click to choose Stop Recording. When the video is stopped or dismissed, it will automatically save to your phone. If you want to upload a video to YouTube, there is also an instant share option labelled Edit & Upload to YouTube. Note that editing abilities are limited, and that this app will record everything that appears on the device screen, so this step may take some time.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Mobizen Screen Recorder

Step 1: Mobizen offers HD recording that’s very similar to the AZ app. Download the app and launch it from the app menu. This will place a tiny “air circle” icon on your phone screen. Once you have found it, select it, and it will branch out into a few additional icons. Choose the record (the camera icon only takes screenshots) icon to start recording. This will create a three-second countdown and then recording will begin.

Step 2: The air circle will remain on your screen (but will not be recorded as part of the video). Select it again and hit the pause icon to pause the video whenever you need to. The upper button features a red stop button when recording, and you can select this at any time to stop the video.

Step 3: Stopping the video will bring a pop-up that allows you to view the video. If you want to edit your creation, choose this (viewing your video will always be an option from the app as long as you have it saved). While viewing, you will see a pen-and-paper editing icon right below the video player. Select this to start editing your video. You can cut and split, add BGM, add intros and outros, and more to get the video looking just how you want.

Download it now from:

Google Play

Editors’ Recommendations

• The 100 best Android apps turn your phone into a jack-of-all-trades
• Snap and edit pictures like a pro with the best photo apps for Android
• Music junkie? Here are the 25 best music apps for consuming and creating tunes
• Learn how to play YouTube in the background on iOS and Android
• Get your gaming on the go with the 25 best Android games for November

Magic Leap One: Everything you need to know

Magic Leap isn’t a household name, but the company has made waves in Silicon Valley, creating buzz with promises of a major step forward for augmented reality. Its website promises to add “another dimension to computing” and “change how we experience the world.” In interviews and sneak peaks, the company gives the impression it thinks all previous attempts at VR and AR tech are a bit silly in comparison to what it’s built.

So, what is the Magic Leap One? What might make it different from other, previous headsets? And should you believe the hype? Here’s everything we know.

Enter the Lightfield

Magic Leap One is built around a key technology called “Digital Lightfield.” The company is extremely secretive about the details, but it hasn’t been afraid to talk about the benefits. Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap, told Rolling Stone that the Light Field is “[…] the photon wavefront and particle light field everywhere in the universe. It’s like this gigantic ocean; it’s everywhere. It’s an infinite signal and it contains a massive amount of information.”

That sounds… a bit complex. And it is. But Magic Leap believes our brains doesn’t need all the data. Instead, it can serve up only a limited selection of visuals, and rely on our brains to work through the rest.

The company hasn’t gone into specifics about how its approach works, but similar ideas are not unheard of. Nearly all the players in the VR space have plans to implement foveated rendering, a technique that lowers the detail of areas you’re not looking towards. It works because the detail of our peripheral vision is much lower — yet, because of how our brains work, we don’t actively notice it.

We’d like to say more, but we can’t for now, because we don’t know. Even the handful of journalists who’ve handled the prototype weren’t told specifics about how it works. All we know is that it projects a “light field” before your eyes. Magic Leap claims it won’t tire you and looks more convincing that existing competitors, but that remains to be seen.

Grab the goggles

While we don’t know much about the core lightfield technology, we do know a bit about the headset, which was revealed on December 20, 2017.

Its design is a sci-fi take on steampunk goggles. Though much smaller than an Oculus Rift or even the Microsoft HoloLens, the Magic Leap One is much larger than a pair of sunglasses, and multiple sensors are visible on the exterior. These appear to be the cameras and light sensors that image the world in front of you so AR experiences can be layered over it.

The Magic Leap latches on your head with just a single loop. There’s no straps or Velcro involved. It looks nice, and we presume it’ll work like the Acer Mixed Reality headset and the Microsoft HoloLens, both of which use a rotating tensor to tighten until they’re secure. It’s a comfortable and lightweight approach, but we imagine it’ll work better for some people than others, and it likely won’t feel as secure as an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.

Wires are also evident on the goggles. While just one is fully visible in the first photos, it appears two are attached to the back of the headset. Only one wire is shown connecting to the “lightpack” that powers the Magic Leap One, so the purpose of the dual cords is unclear.

While the goggles themselves are round, the render appears to show rectangular hardware behind them. That suggests the rounded design is exactly that, and the internal hardware might look like the HoloLens. We also know from the Rolling Stone report that Magic Leap One has the same field-of-view issues found on HoloLens, which makes us wonder how Magic Leap’s approach differs from Microsoft.

Lightpack and controller

While the headset is the start of Magic Leap One, the Lightpack used to power it is also interesting. Unlike most VR and AR headsets, Magic Leap doesn’t look to a smartphone or PC do the heavy lifting. The processing is handled by the company’s tiny Lightpack. Though it is wired to the headset, the pack is small enough to wear. Renderings show it clipped to a pocket, and it looks just barely too large to fit in the palm of your hand.

This is a bold approach. It gives Magic Leap complete control, but also isolates the headset from its competitors. The headset will only work with AR experiences that are designed specifically for it – or, perhaps, ported over from another platform. We assume this means you will purchase only from the company’s own storefront, and run them only in the company’s own environment.

While we know what the Lightpack looks like, we know nothing else. That includes processor capability, connectors, battery life, and weight. It looks attractive, but it’s impossible to say how it will work in practice.

We also don’t know much about the controller. Magic Leap hasn’t said much of it, and renders show nothing but a single, wand-like device with a touchpad and a single button. It’s disappointing, really. We’ve see controllers like this before, and we already know they don’t work well. Perhaps Magic Leap will be used primarily without a controller – but if not, the controller could become a serious issue.

It’s not the next Google Glass

While the Magic Leap One looks cool, a lot of people have mentioned they “wouldn’t want to be seen” in them.

It’s true that they’re not the most practical fashion statement — but you’re not supposed to walk around town in them, anyway. While Magic Leap hasn’t explicitly said you can’t take them on a hike, every demo, tidbit, and leak has involved AR experiences that take place inside, in a single area.

That’s not a surprise when you consider the headset an the hardware it’s connected to. Unless Magic Leap has also worked magic in the world of battery tech, it’s certain the device won’t last more than a few hours on a charge.

The display technology also likely has its limits. Magic Leap says it works by projecting light in some fashion, and every projector fights against outside light sources. In a very bright environment, like a park on sunny day, a projected image can become almost impossible to see — even on the world’s most powerful projection equipment. HoloLens developers have already struggled with this problem.

In short — this isn’t Google Glass. Magic Leap One doesn’t seem meant for use outside your home or office, so its style is less of an issue.

Price and availability

What, you were expecting a price? Sorry. No dice.

The Magic Leap One isn’t up for pre-order, either. It’s promised to ship sometime in 2018, and it’s fair to guess it won’t be in January. You can sign up for a notification if you want to know the instant pre-orders become available.

We’re not going to speculate an exact price, but we think it’ll be more than you hope. The HoloLens is still $3,000 for the Development Edition, and ODG’s R-7 Smartglasses will set you back $2,475.  We doubt Magic Leap will be that expensive — but we’d be impressed if it matched the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

For now, we can only wait. Envisioning the Magic Leap still requires a leap of imagination and that will continue until the company is kind enough to offer details.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Magic Leap finally unveils ‘goggles’ with wireless processing, tracking
• Oculus Rift vs. Oculus Go — is it still better to be tethered to a PC?
• FCC documents reveal waking reality of Huawei’s Daydream VR headset
• Why binge watch when you can binge experience? TV is about to seem old-school
• The ZephVR blows air in your face, which might actually make VR better

LG 32UD99-W review

Research Center:
LG 32UD99-W

4K monitors have moved from exotic to mainstream over the past year, and many of our favorite models now sell for $400. Yet 4K is not the final frontier in image quality. High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is another important new feature — and it’s found on a rare few displays.

The LG 32UD99-W is one such screen. It pairs HDR10 compatibility with 4K resolution, AMD FreeSync support, and HDCP 2.2 compatibility, which together make this among the most advanced 32-inch screens on the market. Its prime competitors are the BenQ SW320 and Acer ET322QK, which also have 32-inch displays with HDR, but there’s also a handful of HDR-compatible 27-inchers available.

As you may expect, the LG 32UD99-W’s advanced feature set comes with an advanced price. You’ll have to pay $1,000 to snag this screen. That’s quite a bit, though perhaps not as expensive as it could’ve been — the BenQ SW320 sells for at least $1,200. Our review will decide if LG’s latest is its greatest, or too far ahead of its time.

Nothing but screen

Thinning display bezels have swayed monitor design towards more minimalist looks, and the LG 32UD99-W is no exception. In fact, it may be the standard-bearer. The bezels, which are less than half an inch thick on all sides, are bordered by a thin strip of silver plastic. A similarly svelte stand holds the monitor aloft, while the rear panel is glossy white. Together, it creates a subtle but futuristic look that will easily blend into most homes — though it may look a bit unusual in an office.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

While the stand is small, it does offer some ergonomic adjustment including height, tilt, and rotation. The stand doesn’t swivel, an option offered by some competitors. The screen itself is VESA-mount compatible, so you can swap out the stand for something more flexible, if desired.

The LG 32UD99-W doesn’t look sturdy, but it feels well-built when handled. Like most monitors, it uses plastic for most external panels, and even the stand seems to be covered with metallic-paint plastic instead of real metal. Yet that doesn’t compromise the stability of the display. The rear panel is reassuringly solid, and lends a touch of quality whenever the screen is adjusted on its stand.

Lots of connectivity, but forget the wall mount

LG offers two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, on USB-C port, and two USB-A ports on the 32UD99-W. This is a good array of connectivity, and speaks to the display being targeted at prosumers more than office users and hardcore creatives. You can plug a laptop in through USB-C and, in doing so, charge the laptop as well as drive video to the display.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

All the ports are rear-facing, as well, while many competitors have ports that face down. Connecting and removing devices is much easier as a result, but this configuration will make wall-mount solutions tricky.

Joy to the joystick

All the LG’s menus are accessed through a joystick located in the middle of the display. While we generally prefer front-mounted buttons, joysticks can work when executed well –- and the LG 32UD99-W is at the top of its class.

Tapping the stick offers quick access to the most common options, including input selection and Game Mode. Enter the menu proper, though, and you’ll be greeted by a wide variety of quality adjustment options. The usual brightness and contrast options are joined by options to adjust sharpness deeper in the Picture settings.

Intense action – say, an X-Wing strafing a Star Destroyer – is more vibrant and detailed in HDR.

The Picture menu also includes color temperature adjustments, which offer a wide variety of options based on actual color temperature — not labeled presets — and precise color adjustments. Gamma is also adjustable, though it settles for preset modes instead of targeting specific gamma curves. The level of control available in the Picture menu is impressive, and a variety of calibration options are available, including those that target specific color gamuts like REC709. LG doesn’t market the 32UD99-W as a professional-grade screen, but we think its options will satisfy most photographers and digital artists.

Note, though, that almost all options are removed when HDR is turned on. That’s due to how HDR input must be handled. You can only change brightness or switch between a few pre-selected modes.

The speakers will do, in a pinch

A pair of five-watt speakers are hidden inside the LG 32UD99-W. They deliver relatively good sound for a monitor, and they’re acceptable even for use with games. Still, the internal drivers are no match for a set of $50 external speakers or halfway decent headphones.

Pre-calibration image quality

HDR10 support is the LG 32UD99-W’s headline feature, so we eagerly hooked it up to a gaming rig and fired up Star Wars Battlefront II, one of the few fully HDR-capable games currently available.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

The game is among the most attractive ever made even on a “normal” display, but HDR took it to a new level. High Dynamic Range support means a display can offer a greater range of contrast, usually by hitting a higher maximum level of brightness. That means intense visual sequences – like, say, an X-Wing strafing a Star Destroyer – deliver a punchier, more detailed image. Explosions show more levels of shading and more fine details, which are lost when HDR is off.

There’s more to the display than HDR10, however. It’s a 4K panel, packing in 140 pixels per inch, so it looks quite sharp for a desktop monitor. Our test equipment found the screen could deliver a maximum brightness of 360 nits, reaching 100 percent of the sRGB gamut, and 87 percent of AdobeRGB. The gamma curve value came in at 2.0, just off the ideal target of 2.2. The contrast ratio was strong, too, reaching 990:1 at maximum brightness.

We found only one item to complain about: Color accuracy. Our tests returned an average color error of 2.34. Lower is better in this test, and while that value isn’t bad, it’s not great for a monitor that retails at $1,000. The BenQ PD3200U, another recently tested 4K monitor, scored 1.23 prior to calibration. The Acer Predator XB2 also scored better, though it’s a gaming monitor that doesn’t tout color accuracy as a strength.

Still, the LG 32UD99-W was impressive at first glance, and using the monitor didn’t cause our initial thoughts to sour. Its mediocre color accuracy result is only of importance if you do color-critical work — and, as we’ll discuss in a moment, it can be fixed.

Post-calibration quality

While most people use monitors with the out-of-box settings, calibration is possible, and often necessary to achieve the best results. The LG 32UD99-W is evidence of that. It offers a wide range of settings, and they successfully compensated for the screen’s flaws.

Let’s talk color accuracy first. The pre-calibration result of 2.34 was just okay, but we quickly reduced that to a value of .96, which is excellent. That score makes the LG 32UD99-W eligible for color-critical professional work, and looks beautiful in everyday viewing.

This monitor looks spectacular after given some attention.

We also saw improvement in the gamma result, which changed from 2.0 to 2.1. That means the monitor reproduces content with a slightly darker grayscale than intended, but not drastically so. We tried to hone the monitor further using the baked-in Gamma presets, but found the monitor could hit either 2.1 or 2.3 — it was never quite perfect.

Given these results, we highly recommend calibration for this monitor. It looks spectacular after given some attention.

HDR is a quagmire on the PC

LG is proud of the 32UD99-W’s HDR10 support, and technically that claim is true. This monitor does support HDR10. Yet that doesn’t mean it can make the most of the standard. The reasons why are only partly LG’s responsibility.

LG 32UD99-W Compared To

HP Z38c

Dell Ultrasharp U3818DW

LG 38UC99

Dell S2716DG

BenQ PD3200U 4K Designer Monitor

LG 34UC89G

Acer Predator XB272 Gaming Monitor

BenQ EX3200R Gaming Monitor

Dell S2418H

LG 27MD5KA‑B Ultrafine 5K

Samsung CF791

Dell U3417W

Samsung CFG70

Dell s2417DG

Acer XB280HK

A few items stand out in the HDR10 specification. These are the use of the Rec. 2020 color space, 10-bit color depth, and a maximum brightness value of 1,000 nits. LG’s 32UD99-W is an impressive monitor, but it doesn’t fully support these features. The brightness value is the most notable problem, because the monitor is quoted to hit a peak of 550 nits with a typical maximum of 350 nits. Our test equipment registered a maximum of 360 nits with the brightness setting turned all the way up. That’s not bad for a PC monitor, but it’s far short of the best HDR10 can deliver.

Windows 10 also causes problems for the monitor. While the operating system does support HDR, the desktop (and most apps) have problems with how they translate to HDR. Contrary to what you’d expect, they appear dimmer, less vibrant, and less accurate with HDR on than with HDR off.

We constantly had to open Windows’ settings to manually turn HDR on or off.

Movies and games that support HDR10 look brilliant, and we could see an immediately noticeable difference between having HDR10 on and having it off. Lighting looked more natural with less banding and far better detail in bright areas of scenes. Yet Windows 10 can’t discretely turn HDR on only when viewing clips or playing games that support HDR. We constantly had to open Windows’ settings to manually flip the feature when we were no longer viewing HDR video.

Gamers have it easier because games with HDR support usually include an in-game toggle. That means you don’t have to deal with Windows 10’s system-wide setting. Star Wars Battlefront II and Forza Motorsport 7 look stunning on the LG 32UD99-W, and Samsung’s CF791 is the only display we’ve tested that can best the LG’s wow-factor. Not many games support HDR on PC, however, so the value will depend on what you play.

Warranty information

LG offers a one-year parts and labor warranty on the 32UD99-W. A three-year warranty is more common, so LG’s terms are not generous.

Our Take

The LG 32UD99-W is a beautiful display with many strengths, but its let down by the confusing state of HDR in Windows 10, and a general lack of HDR-compatible content on PC.

Is there a better alternative?

The LG 32UD99-W undercuts the price of top-tier 32-inch displays like the HP Dreamcolor Z32x and Dell Ultrasharp UP3216Q. On the other hand, it’s much more expensive than Acer’s ET322QK, which is only $500. We haven’t tested Acer’s entry, so we can’t say if its price cut comes with a cut in quality. You might be tempted by the HDR support on this monitor, but there a bunch of other made-for-gaming displays that get you more bang for your buck.

Big ultrawide monitors like the Dell Ultrasharp U3818DW aren’t much more expensive than this LG. While they aren’t 4K and don’t have HDR, they deliver an immersive experience that a conventional monitor can’t match.

How long will it last?

Monitors generally last a long time, and the LG 32UD99-W’s inclusion of HDR gives it an edge in longevity. The short warranty is a disappointment, however.

Should you buy it?

You should only buy the LG 32UD99-W if you’re intrigued by HDR, particularly in games that you know support it. This monitor does support FreeSync, and titles like Star Wars Battlefront II look gorgeous on it.

Everyone else should wait until Windows’ HDR support improves, or HDR-compatible content becomes more common.

Ledvance gives the world the first Apple HomeKit-enabled smart light bulb

In a major step forward for smart home-enabled consumer electronics, LED manufacturer Ledvance is furthering its long-standing Sylvania brand by launching the Sylvania Smart+ Soft White A19 filament bulb, which lands in markets complete with full Apple HomeKit compatibility.

Unlike competing products that are emerging into the smart home market, the Sylvania Smart+ bulbs can be directly controlled using Bluetooth via Apple’s Siri intelligent personal assistant and Apple’s Home app — without buying a separate hub or smart socket or requiring a Wi-Fi router to function accordingly.

The bulb is also easy to install and combines the futuristic capabilities of smart home technology with a retro look befitting the Sylvania brand’s storied 100-plus year history. After screwing in the Bluetooth-enabled bulb, consumers can simply sync it with the Home app or issue voice commands via Siri to control Sylvania Smart+ lights individually or in groups. The Sylvania Smart+ A19 bulbs are issued in a filament-powered version and a standard version, and provide up to 650 and 800 lumens respectively, aligning with what consumers used to see in 40-watt and 60-watt traditional light bulbs.

The launch of the new Soft White bulb comes on the heels of Sylvania’s much-lauded Sylvania Smart+ A19 Full Color Bulb. The bulb’s features, as lauded by Ledvance, include turning it on and off, adjusting it from a cool white light for concentrating to a warm white for relaxing, as well and changing it to one of literally millions of colors to complement the décor of any room.

The A19 Soft White and Full Color Bulbs are remarkably versatile compared to the range of smart light products currently on the market. Using what is essentially mood lighting, a living room can easily be transformed from a home office for productivity to a fun party room for entertaining — and each light can be transformed on the fly using Apple’s HomeKit connectivity.

Ledvance’s other lighting products include the Sylvania Smart+ Indoor Flex Strip Full Color, a lighting strip whose malleable design makes it possible to contour around corners to enhance living areas, under furniture, and act as backlighting behind televisions. This system can also be fitted with Sylvania Smart+ Extension and Connector kits to further customize and expand lighting options.

Other smart home functions can be enhanced using Apple HomeKit’s versatile command system, allowing consumers to create custom light scenes and automation to enhance users’ needs and lifestyle. With a few simple commands, smart home users can adjust a bedroom’s color temperature to reflect natural sunlight, or schedule lights to come on right before getting home from work to avoid entering a dark house. Naturally, with other Apple HomeKit compatible accessories, users can integrate their Sylvania Smart+ lights and accessories with compatible switches, sensors, thermostats, cameras and other appliances.

“Our approach is unique in the smart industry because we focus on delivering quality lighting products first and only then adding smart functionality second,” Aaron Ganick, global head of Smart Business at Ledvance, said in a statement. “Our customers expect their smart lighting to not only work with the latest and greatest technology ecosystems, but to look good while doing it.”

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Microsoft pokes fun at Apple’s panoramas with new multidirectional tool in Pix

The iPhone’s native camera app can shoot panoramas, but Microsoft thinks Apple’s take is a bit too one-sided — literally. In an update to Microsoft Pix for iOS, Microsoft has announced new AI-powered photo tools, including the ability to shoot a panorama and move the smartphone any direction you want. The new panorama tool, called Photosynth, is also joined by the option to create a comic strip from a video.

Inside Apple’s native camera app, users can take a panorama by moving the camera from left to right. With Microsoft Pix’s newest feature, users can move the camera left, right, up or down — and can even change directions after they’ve already started shooting. The tools allows users to create vertical panoramas (to say, capture an entire waterfall) and to adjust midshoot.

The updated panorama tool will also allow users to stitch together higher-resolution images of the scene with a more traditional aspect ratio rather than that elongated panorama format. Because users can move the phone sideways and then also go back and move the device up and down, they can capture more than the traditional wide strip. The update, Microsoft says, allows users to adjust the panorama based on the scene in front of them.

“The idea came after some frustrations I had when trying to take a picture of Snoqualmie Falls,” said Josh Weisberg, a principal program manager for Microsoft’s AI and research division. “I didn’t want to have to choose which part of the scene to capture, and I wanted it all with detail. Photosynth means you no longer have to choose. I can now capture the whole scene in a way that feels natural. As with all Pix features, we have also worked to give the best image quality by introducing more intelligent ways to compute exposure and stitching.”

Photosynth is based on a separate app of the same name Microsoft launched several years ago but discontinued earlier this year, building the panorama features into Microsoft Pix instead.

The enhanced panorama tools come along with Pix Comix in today’s update. Pix Comix uses AI to determine the highlights of a video clip. Microsoft says the AI program looks for things like faces with eyes open and interesting scenes, along with avoiding things like blur.

Once the program finds the best frames, the app puts three images into a comic strip format. Users can then expand on what the AI developed by adding characteristic comic speech bubbles with custom text.

The idea of using AI to choose the best shots is growing, from use in GoPro’s video app to options to pick the best photos in the online version of Lightroom. Google Research recently launched a similar app called Storyboard, which is Android-only but allows users to choose the layout of the comic strip.

The new panorama and comic strip features are now available with a free download of Microsoft Pix from the App Store.

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Amazon might be working on a YouTube competitor called ‘Amazontube’

Say what now?

At the beginning of December, Google made a nasty move against Amazon by announcing that it’d be removing YouTube from the Echo Show (for the second time) and Fire TV as the latest move in the endless dispute between the two companies. According to the sharp eyes at TV Answer Man, Amazon filed for two trademarks that very same day for something rather interesting.

The two trademarks are titled as “Amazontube” and “Opentube,” and both services would provide “non-downloadable pre-recorded audio, visual and audiovisual works via wireless networks.” Content would range from tech, fashion, gaming, etc., and these services would allow “users to share content, photos, videos, text, data, images, and other electronic works.”

In other words, it sounds like Amazon is playing around with the idea of launching a YouTube competitor.

What could Amazon offer to make people switch from YouTube?

It is interesting to think about what Amazon’s take on YouTube might look like, but the likelihood of Amazon following through with this is pretty slim.

On the one hand, we’ve seen other companies try to mimic YouTube’s formula and not see much success at all. YouTube’s hold on the video-sharing market is pretty much unstoppable right now, and while we’re all for more competition, that’s a battle that’d prove to be difficult even for a company like Amazon.

Along with that, Google might not have to follow through with its decision to remove YouTube from the Echo Show and Fire TV after all. The spokeswoman that made the announcement said Google chose to do this as a result of Amazon not selling Google’s hardware, but just recently, Amazon said it’d once again start selling the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra. It remains to be seen if this is enough to keep Google from pulling the plug on YouTube from Amazon’s devices, but it is encouraging to see Amazon try to create some peace between the two.

Just in case we do one day see an Amazontube, though, what features would it have to offer for you to use it over YouTube?

Amazon will once again sell Chromecast and Apple TV

Pixelbook with Core i7 and 16GB RAM now on sale at Google Store

The most powerful Chromebook ever can be yours for $1549.

When Google announced the Pixelbook at its October hardware event, it said the device would be available in three configurations. Two of those have been available since the announcement, but they both feature Intel’s Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 128 or 256GB SDD. If you’ve been eyeing the Pixelbook but want more power than what’s been available, now’s the time to buy.

Now on the Google Store, you can purchase the Pixelbook with a Core i7, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. That kind of horsepower is probably overkill for Chrome OS, but if you want to get your hands on the absolute best Chromebook experience, this is the Pixelbook for you.

This variant of the Pixelbook typically costs $1649, but in honor of it now being on sale, Google’s throwing in a $100 discount. $1549 is still a lot of money to spend on a Chromebook, but if you were already thinking about picking this up, that’s not a bad deal.

That $100 saving applies to all three versions of the Pixelbook, and no matter which one you decide to buy, you’ll also get a free Google Home Mini.

See at Google Store

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Why is there no AR Plus mode for Pokémon Go on Android?

The latest feature for Pokemon Go is iOS-only. Again.

For a company that used to be a part of Google, the folks at Niantic sure seem to be favoring people who use iPhones with the smash hit Pokémon Go game. The Apple Watch is the only smartwatch available today with its own Pokémon Go app for tracking steps, and no further mention of this ever coming to Android Wear. Now, with the latest update to the app, Pokémon Go has a new set of abilities and score modifiers that only work if you have an iPhone.

It’s called AR+, and before you get too mad about this feature not being available on Android phones right away it’s important to understand how it works.

As the name suggests, AR+ is an enhancement to the augmented reality option on every version of Pokémon Go. In its original form, this feature let you see Pokemon as though they were actually in the world in front of you. It’s cute for taking pictures, but not particularly useful for taking playing the game. AR+ changes that, by letting you do things like sneaking up on the Pokemon as they hide in Tall Grass. You can now earn Expert Handler bonuses for catching creatures unawares, and of course the closer you can get the more likely you are to score an Excellent Throw bonus. If you mess it up though, the creature will flee and you’ll have to find something else to stalk.

So why isn’t this on Android? Mostly because the AR tech from Google isn’t ready yet. Apple’s ARKit has been around since the launch of the last iPhones, where Google’s equivalent ARCore is just now entering the second stage of its beta program. While it’s true we’ve seen some great examples of Google’s ARCore working _really_well, especially the new AR Stickers feature in the Pixel phones, developers don’t have access to the final version of the code Google is going to use when it is rolled out to Android as a whole.

Basically, relax. AR+ will absolutely be coming to Pokémon Go on Android phones in the future. The delay here is on Google’s end, not Niantic. And once it is rolled out to your phone, it’s going to be pretty awesome.